MEDICARE OBSERVATION STATUS TOOLKIT

Medicare and Observation Status

STILL A PROBLEM!

READ MORE...

The Issue

Medicare requires beneficiaries to be hospitalized for medically-necessary inpatient hospital care for at least three consecutive days before covering post-hospital care in a skilled nursing care center. Yet, patients often remain under observation status in the hospital for several days. These days are considered outpatient, and therefore, do not count toward Medicare’s three-day inpatient stay requirement.

The Effort

The Observation Stays Coalition, consisting of 28 national organizations, has launched an effort to collect stories that put a face on this critical issue that leaves millions at risk of getting stuck with high medical bills –or foregoing needed care – because of their observation status in the hospital.

The Center is part of a coalition of organizations fighting the continued harm caused by Observation Status through advocacy and education, efforts which will be greatly enhanced by our work with the John A. Hartford foundation.

In addition, the Center for Medicare Advocacy, along with co-counsel Justice in Aging and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, is pursuing a nationwide class action lawsuit that seeks to establish a way to appeal placement on Observation Status to Medicare (the case is currently known as Alexander v. Price). If you received “observation services” in a hospital since January 1, 2009, you may be a member of the class. No action is required of class members, but we recommend that you save any paperwork relating to your observation status hospitalization and costs that may have resulted from it,

By contacting the phone number on this website you will be directed to a licensed agent and a licensed Insurance Marketing Group. A sales agent may mail, call or e-mail as a result of completing the information to discuss Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug Plans or Medicare Supplement Insurance.
We are not recommended, endorsed or affiliated with the Federal Government, CMS, Medicare or the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed this information.
Please Note: Clicking on any of the links provided will take you from our Medicare Information website to a non-Medicare information or to a different website.
Proud Member of the following Chambers of Commerce:
Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce
Henderson Chamber of Commerce